Wednesday, February 6, 2008

"NASCAR In 30 Seconds" Features Rutledge Wood

The mysterious program that is lurking on the SPEED schedule at 9PM on Thursday night is called NASCAR in 30 Seconds. It is produced by the NASCAR Media Group, who last year was called NASCAR Images. It seems a lot of things have changed for 2008.

SPEED's Rutledge Wood is going to host this one hour program that is going to celebrate NASCAR's most memorable TV ads of the past, and then preview the new ad campaigns for 2008.

“NASCAR fans should really get a kick out of this show,” said Steve Craddock, SPEED SVP of Programming. “Fans get to see Kenny Wallace when he was just getting into NASCAR and a much younger Darrell Waltrip. They’ll also see legends like Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and the late Dale Earnhardt make their pitches during a different time in history. Not to mention all the great ‘behind the scenes’ footage you will see during the show. NASCAR in 30 Seconds will appeal to fans of every generation.”

The show will also feature a bloopers segment and some behind-the-scenes footage that did not make it to air. The way that NASCAR is trying to integrate this commercial content into a full-length program is a mirror of the NFL's Super Bowl efforts.

In fact, the new NASCAR commercials previewed in this show will be posted on NASCAR.com on the day of the Daytona 500. Fans will be asked to go and vote for their favorite new commercial. Sound familiar?

The program is sponsored by Toyota, and culminates with an in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at Tony Stewart as he shoots his new 2008 Toyota commercials. The show will be re-broadcast several times by SPEED during the week before the Daytona 500.

The reaction to this TV show should be interesting. When Internet guys say things like "migrate content across several platforms" this is what they are talking about.

TV commercials become a show, then move to the Internet for you to see again, and finally they are aired in the product for which they were first created...the race on TV.

Just as we saw with several programs on ABC last season, the sponsorship pays for the creation of a "show" that is completely ad-driven. Regardless of the ratings, the idea is to heighten the visibility of "ad content" that was once just aired in the race and on the NASCAR TV support shows.

Just as we discussed on The Daly Planet last season, one of the biggest enemies of NASCAR commercial sponsors is technology. Isn't that ironic? People use DVR's, TiVo's and even their computer hard drives to record the races and then fast-forward through the commercials.

What they are trying to do is eliminate the commercial content and only view the program content. This specific problem is absolutely the best reason NASCAR should be driven to adapt the side-by-side commercial approach of the IRL.

By keeping the racing action (the program content) going on the screen continuously, it eliminates the ability of users to identify and fast-forward through the commercial content. It no longer exists. I am not sure why this concept is such a hard sell with NASCAR, where one hour of commercial and promo content in a three hour race is not uncommon.

It will be interesting to see how this show rolls-out, what it tries to accomplish, and just how well it is received. The Daly Planet will follow-up with a review on Friday.

We welcome comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. Thanks again for stopping by.

37 comments:

I think the Super Bowl-like ad hype and imitation is the sole motive for the program. Nothing more, nothing less. They're trying to build up the anticipation for Daytona 500 ads and are hoping the hype takes a life of its own.

They conducted the fan vote on nascar.com last year too. NASCAR wants to be able to say 'We can charge X amount for our Daytona ads because they're so closely watched.'

I'll say that the Daytona 500 ad debuts last year were very good and that was a rare race where we didn't skip most of the commercials. Unfortunately the same ads were then aired 10,000 more times during the season (just a slight exaggeration) and we got really sick of them. If you miss them during the Daytona 500, you can easily catch them during the next race, which dilutes their impact.

I expect the same high quality commercials this year (although Junior's new AMP commercial last Sunday was mediocre and unmemorable at best; even some die-hards weren't happy with it) - along with the unfortunate replays all season.

I'm rather disappointed that Rutledge is still with SPEED. Hopefully his antics and his airtime will be kept to a minimum.

I kinda like Rutledge, but NOT for a whole hour show. And I certainly am not watching an hour of old Nascar commercials. This show will be "Must NOT See TV" for me.

I'd like to know what executive came up with the idea for this "show". Must be the same guy that gave us Pinks, Street Tuner Challenge and Unique Whips. Now there's some quality Speed programing. Puke!!!

Can we really call it a show if all it is, is old commercials?

A quote from one of your Dec. posts:"Brain France recently mentioned SPEED as a TV partner that he would like to see develop more original programming with his production company, NASCAR Images." I hope this show wasn't what he was thinking of with that comment.

Rutledge is a nit-wit who managed to con his way onto TV - NASCAR no less. It is because of inane nonsense like this that this "old school" fan has become disenfranchised from the sport. (You might know me. I'm one of the people who used to go to Daytona and other races when no one (except the southern press) covered the sport and you were looked at strangely when people found out you were a race fan.) And NASCAR wants to reconnect with the die hard fans. Give me a break.

What a ridiculous concept. A show about commercials to hype commercials that annoy the fans on race day.

ah, yes...more money in the France pocket...that's what it's all about.

I'm trying hard to stay interested for the first 5 races this year. If the top-35 isn't modified soon, I'll be a former fan. NA$CAR says the fans are paramount, but the fans hate the top-35. Screw the fans!!

Ploys like this commercial about commercials just add to the push...they are trying to push me out of the sport...keep pushing, NA$CAR. Yeah, I'm one of the old school fans (since about 1959).

I agree with Frank, kinda hard to critique something that hasn't been on yet. In case you missed it, folks, there have been many specials over the years dedicated to commercials that did very well in the ratings ('World's funniest commercials' or whatever.) I know some people hate them, but enough like them that this is not a new concept (except for the racing angle.) I look forward to it as a historical piece--just like watching 'Back in the Day' with those crazy outfits the crew guys wore, for example. The bloopers might be a hoot as well. Rutledge doesn't really bother me--sometimes he's funny, sometimes not. Yes, the new ad/voting bit is hype, but we're trying to *attract* sponsors to NASCAR, remember?

I totally agree on the side by side concept, I've never understood why NASCAR is so opposed. It seems to work for the IRL...

People seem to be missing what this type of show is. It will not be a collection of commercials. Its a TV program where they use "product placement" during the show to put the product in your mind. Like watching a movie and the hero is always drinking a certain type of soda. Recently on Speed they had a show about Baja 1000 and Taupo that was sponsored by Toyota. There were no Toyota commercials, but the teams they followed were using Toyota vehicles. That's what this is.

As for this show, I find Rutledge annoying and always fast fowarded through his segments when I recorded other shows. I won't be watching.

"People seem to be missing what this type of show is. It will not be a collection of commercials."

Actually, it will be a collection of NASCAR ads. The product placement comes into play with the specific segment on the making of Tony Stewart's new Toyota ads and also with Toyota's role as presenting sponsor of the show.

I'll say that the Daytona 500 ad debuts last year were very good and that was a rare race where we didn't skip most of the commercials. Unfortunately the same ads were then aired 10,000 more times during the season (just a slight exaggeration) and we got really sick of them.-----------------------The sponsor advertising folks really need to think about allocating their budgets for multiple commercials over the season, not one. They probably spent a boatload on the Dale Jr "Road Warrior" ad, but then had no money to make more ads the rest of the year (even before he was leaving Bud). At least it seems like it.

Remember Jeff Gordon's Sprint commercial that got played too much late last season? They only made one Sprint ad as opposed to Nextel usually making two or three ads for each half of the season.

You guys are all over reacting. It is a show about past NASCAR commercials throughout the years. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not about product placement besides the deal with Tony and Toyota who has every right as they are sponsoring the show. You guys need to calm down. If it doesn't sound interesting....then don't watch it. If you don't like Rut, which I'm not a fan either, then don't watch or fast forward past his on camera parts which most likely will just be going to and coming back from a real commercial break. JD is reading too much into this as well with his comment..."It will be interesting to see how this show rolls-out, what it tries to accomplish, and just how well it is received." It is not trying to accomplish anything other than give fans a look back and it's an hour time slot to fill.

Hey anon 1:50, I'm the one who already used the "nothing more, nothing less" line in my post regarding the focus of this show - last night, second post of the column. You took my line, ha.

Seriously, though, SPEED is giving us five hours of NASCAR today - the Bud Shootout history special, the two hour media day, the selection special, and then this commercial thing. Pretty nifty, I think. And they're repeating the shows so we can see them later if needed.

It looks like SPEED kept Rutledge and dropped Riki Rachtman. But Riki is on NASCAR.COM's media day video coverage interviewing drivers so maybe he's signed on with them.

I am actually interested to see this show. It might be fun to watch old commercials that either never aired in my area or were from back before I watched Nascar and therefore I would not have know who the person was. I could live without Rutledge but he sort of is the perfect choice for a show of this type (as long as he isn't acting like too much of a goof ball)

Good God there are lots of cranky people here today. I can't wait to watch the show. I love old commercials and it's great to see how different the drivers look. It's going to be a fun hour. As far as Rutledge goes....he's laid back, silly and refreshing.

Rutledge Wood is awesome funny.I think Rutledge is for younger people, so I can understand while some older folks might not like him. As for the show, I am excited that we get to see Nascar history (and more than watching the finish of the 1979 500 for the billionth time)! This is a show I am looking forward too! (of course I also watched "SPEED Road Tour Challenge" and kind of enjoyed it)

Ok, well, halfway through the show, and I got to admit that I feel like I am watching one of last season's races. Same commercials over and over... love the Allstate ads, but there were only like 3 variations and they played them every 3 laps...I wish they would focus more on what the drivers have to say about filming commercials, and I was hoping for more older ads, this seems to be based more on the past couple of years...well, it is back on.... It is mildly entertaining, but not really what I wanted...

Rutledge annoys the heck out of me, but I thought I'd tune into this show just for the heck of it. I only lasted 15 minutes. Between Rutledge and Kenny Wallace,well, it's too much for me to stand more than 15 minutes of it. I should have put this on the DVR then I could fastforward thru the junk. You are right, JD, technology has set us free in some regards!

Thank heaven I Tivo'd this and could use the fast forward. I don't know who I can't stand more, Rutledge or Riki. They both grate on my nerves. I cannot understand the purpose of either of those two guys, except they might attract kids under 12 and people who like overly tattooed guys. As for the show, it just seemed like a very long commercial, which I suppose it was. Some of the outtakes were funny and I rather liked seeing someone try and run over Tony Stewart, but all in all, it was a waste.

It was terrible. It certainly wasn't what was advertised--a collection of NASCAR commercials--and it wasn't "behind the scenes" much, either. It was like an hour-long montage of random shots strung together.

Rutledge was a waste of time. His fake "acting" was miserable.

Good idea, miserable execution.

Who'd thunk someone could screw up a show about TV commercials?

Rule #1: When you mention the spot more than once, show it!

We heard how much people liked the Coke spot with the RC cars...and never saw it. Can't air it? Don't have the rights? Then don't talk about it in the show.

Was thre an HD formatting issue with this show? I watched on an SD TV and noted that all the commercials had a promblem that caused a lot of the frame to be cut-off--any lower-third graphic was out of the frame.

SPEED, if you're going to do HD productions like this, you have to letterbox for SD viewers.

I loved the show....It's was quite entertaining...The only things that drove me nuts were, every time they'd come back from commercial we'd be subjected to...Welcome back to Nascar in 30 seconds brought to you by Toyota" .....and the darn fan "ventalator" or whatever it's call kept spinning in the back ground. plus....it's like they'd go...."Action " Ruthlege would start talking and some stage hand would unplug the fan and you'd see it slowing winding down in speed.....LOL

It seems like the only people who post here are angry, old, distant fans. I say that with all respect, and having read everything above.

When Uncle Dan tried to mention that people were cranky, which if you can read, they clearly are, he was almost reprimanded.

It's ok to say these people are cranky. Just like it's ok to say you don't like someone. It's also ok to speak your voice positive, or negative.

The show was fun and entertaining. I enjoyed seeing some of the older bloopers and outtakes to see what some of the driver's looked like back in the day.

Just like a few others have said before, Rutledge is fun. He is a breath of fresh air. What would you guys rather see? The same old guys, almost talking in monotone, for hours, about the same stuff, every weekend ?

I don't. Contrary to what most of you think, it's ok to be different. It's ok to laugh, it's ok to smile. He obviously enjoys what he's doing, and believe it or not, there's a lot of people that do.

I think if you ever meet him at the track, you'll see why fans like him so much, and trust me, they do like him. He doesn't take himself too seriously, unlike some of you on here.

And have any of you payed attention to how much the drivers like him? They're the ones racing every weekend when you guys are apparently begrudging everything people do about NASCAR.

And in case anyone forgot, yeah, it costs money to put on shows. People sponsor things. Toyota paid for a fun show and that's what they've got. If you don't like it, I don't think anyone that really did will lose any sleep over it.

Enjoy the sport people. It's here for our amusement and our entertainment. I'll say again, ENTERTAINMENT. Just like baseball, football, or even bowling.

Thanks for having a place where people can agree and disagree freely. That, just like new programming on any of my favorite NASCAR channels, is refreshing.

To all the people that want to blast Rut for making NASCAR fun for the average NON redneck: CHAMILLIONAIREhas a song that came out last year Called Ridin Dirty: Starts off a little something like this. They see me rollin, They hatin... Rut is the only reason to watch things going on in the world of NASCAR. Get used to him being around for awhile because the days of Billy talking about Number 3 with a halo and wings that he just got tatted on his shoulder are gone and how that Angel has gone to heaven... The fact remains that you are upset because you feel like you could do a better job and maybe some feelings of resentment have settled in for this man having success beyond your trailer park lives. Stop hating, if you think you can do better, I'm sure you can go audition. Eat it, I'm out.Love,Lt. Dan from the D